Fire burns more than 300 hectares in Yunguilla; Panama blocks Darien Gap; Murders drop 18%

A wildfire in the Pichanillas sector of the Yunguilla valley has consumed more than 300 hectares of vegetation, firefighters reported Thursday night. Earlier in the day, a risk management official in Girón reported the fire was 90% contained but later revised the figure to 60% as a result of “new flareups.”

More than 100 firefighters from Cuenca, Girón and Santa Isabel were on site Thursday and reinforcements are on the way. “We will add 50 to 70 personnel to the front lines Friday,” Froilan Salinas, Zone 6 risk management director said in a Thursday night press briefing. “Aircraft from Guayaquil are also arriving tomorrow to dump water from Bambi buckets on the fires. The flights will operate out of Cuenca.”

A firefighter surveys burn damage Thursday on Cerro Quingo in the Yunguilla Valley.

Salina said the fire, which began Wednesday, is centered on El Quingo mountain but has spread to adjoining hills. He said the fires have, so far, not affected homes in the area, burning primarily in uninhabited higher elevations.

“As a result of the steep terrain, firefighters are not able to reach many burn areas and this is why aerial assistance is necessary,” Salinas said. “Even in areas where we are able to work, the terrain is very difficult.” He added that more than a dozen firefighters have been treated for burns and smoke inhalation.

Salinas said the fire is one of the largest in recent memory in Zone 6 of southern Ecuador, adding that the destruction of vegetation will pose runoff and landslide threats during the rainy season later in the year. “What we are losing is mostly low-growing vegetation that is essential for holding soil and rock in place as water runs down the mountains in the wet season,” he said.

Panama blocks Darien Gap 
Panamanian police have erected 4.7 kilometers of barbed wire across five crossing points on the Darien Gap to stop the flow of migrants attempting to reach the United States. The operation, which includes positioning police at various entry points, is funded in part by the United States.

At a Wednesday press conference, the director of Panama’s Border Service Jorge Gobea said the goal of recent action is to stop illegal migration. “The human traffic moving through Darien Gap is controlled by organized criminal groups operating in Colombia and our intention is to shut this down,” said. “We cannot control what is happening in Colombia but what can stop the flow entering Panama.”

Gobea called Darien Gap migration a “human tragedy” and said hundreds have died making the crossing, many at the hands of criminals extorting payment. “The governments of Panama and the United States are committed to ending this tragedy.”

According to the Panama interior ministry, it will be impossible to stop all illegal entry through the Darien Gap. “Due to criminal activity in Colombia, we are unable to control the 266-kilometer border, but we will take all measures possible on our side to end the migration,” the ministry said in a statement. “In addition to our efforts at the Darien crossing, we have assigned patrol boats to erect a coastal blockage to stop migration from the sea. Our objective is not only to stop the migration but to send the message that the Darien Gap is no longer open.”

Murders drop 18% in first six months of 2024
Interior Minister Monica Palencia reported Tuesday that Ecuador recorded 691 fewer murders in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period of 2023. “This is an 18% reduction over last year and shows that our efforts to confront criminal organizations is proving successful,” she said.

“We understand the fight against terrorism and criminality introduced from outside the country, particularly from drug cartels, would be a long one, but we are prepared to stay the course,” Palencia said. “We are pleased with the progress we have made and expect it to continue in our effort to provide security to our citizens.”

She added that drug-related violence is concentrated in six coastal provinces and has not affected most of the country.